Knorr named new Chiefs skipper

Former Syracuse catcher Randy Knorr has been named the Chiefs new manager, replacing Trent Jewett, who has been reassigned within the parent Washington Nationals’ organization.

Knorr, who played for the Chiefs in parts of four seasons —1991 and ’92, and again in 1995 and ’96 — managed at Double-A Harrisburg last season.

“I think it’s going to fun,” Knorr said. “I get to go back to where I played.

“It’s going to be another challenge for me,” he added. “I get to test Triple-A and see where we’re at.”

In Syracuse, Knorr will be managing several players he tutored last season in Harrisburg, or players he’s coached in spring training. Knorr has been a coach in the Nationals organization since 2005, after playing parts of 11 seasons in the big leagues with Toronto, Houston, Florida, Texas and Montreal, always as a back-up catcher. He earned World Series rings with the Blue Jays in 1992 and '93.

This past season, Knorr guided Harrisburg to a 77-65 record and a trip to the Eastern League playoffs. He spent three seasons (2006-08) as the manager of the advanced Class-A Potomac Nationals. He also managed a season Class-A Savannah, then the Nationals’ South Atlantic League affiliate. In 2009, Knorr was a bullpen coach for the Nationals.

“I’ll know most of the players in Syracuse,” Knorr said. “There will be some added free agents involved. You just have to learn the players.”

The Nationals already have signed outfielder Jeff Frazier, infielder Chris McConnell and pitcher Tim Wood to minor-league deals and assigned them to Syracuse.

Frazier, 28, spent the past two years playing for the Toledo Mud Hens. He was an International League all-star last season when he batted .256 with 25 home runs and 73 runs batted in.

McConnell, 25, is primarily a shortstop. He played with Northwest Arkansas in the Texas League last season, batting .231 with three home runs and 39 RBI.

Wood, 28, has pitched parts of the past two seasons with the Florida Marlins and appeared in more than 40 games as a reliever. He will be invited to the Nationals’ major-league camp as a non-roster player.

Knorr said he has no specific style.

“I look at what we have on the team,” he said. “If we’ve got a team that can run, then, obviously, we’re going run. If we don’t, we’ll just have to play a different way.”

Tony Beasley, the Nationals third-base coach in 2006, rejoins the organization to manage Harrisburg. The Auburn Doubledays of the short-season rookie-level New York-Penn League will be managed by Gary Cathcart. The pitching coach in Auburn is Franklin Bravo, with Luis Ordaz serving as hitting coach.